Decoy



Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES` FRANK E. STALLMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

/ DEGOY.

Application filed August 7, 1923. Serial No. 656,161.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK E. STALLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Decoys, of which the following is a` specification.

This invention relates to decoys, and more especially to decoy ducks used by sportsmen to entice other fowl within shot or into a net.

Decoy ducks with which T am familiar are made of wood, 4canvas or paper. Those of wood are bulky and heavy and weigh approximately four pounds each, and an ordinary grain sack will hold about one dozen of them. Those of canvas are collapsible and inflatable, but when perforated with shot dew fiate and sink; also, if the canvas is not airtight, in a short while the blown duck will not look life-like and thus become ineflicient.

Paper chicks while light in weight and fold? ed thereon. In hunting, ones carrying ca- Y pacity is about limited to a grain sack of decoys, but with my invention as many as two dozen bases and four dozen bodies may be carried in such a sack. Having a variety of decoys, one can attach the desired specie to the bases best suited for the existing situation at that time.

Another important object is to inflate or expand the body into form, not by air pressure, but by mechanical means. A meritorious feature of this is, that shouldthe body be perforated with shot it will not deflate or collapse, but still hold its form; also, it will not sink.

Another object is to provide the base with Simple peripheral means for the attachment and detachment of any duck body desired.

A further object is to provide the base with rolling checks to insure stability in the water, and to present the duck in an upright and most natural position.

And a still further object is to provide each decoy body with a wire frame, bent to a shape such that when covered with fabric and positioned, it will expand the tail and back of the particular type or classification Vof duck desired, the respective and proper lead of course accompanying the fabric, the head and fabric being also properly painted and colored to resemble that type. In some cases where the family resemblance is close, I may prefer to have the frame as part of the base, slipping different bodies over the frame.

Other objects and advantages and the features of construction of the invention, will appear in the subjoined description of the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical crosssection of a decoy taken along its centen line, the internal upright member' and the anchoring means being shown in full. The decoy is shown resting on the water.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the device with the head and body removed, showing prominently the frame for stretching the tail and back of the duck.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line A-A of Fig. 2 showing the rolling chock and the angle clip for retaining the frame in place.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a part of the exterior of the device and a means for attaching the body to the base.

Adverting to the drawing and figures of the decoy which is preferably of wood, ovalin shape and approximately the ksize of a full-grown duck asseen when resting on t-he water. 2 is the head which also is preferably of wood cut to a size and shape to conform with any desired classification of duck, and 3 is the body which may be of any desirable pliable material, such as fabric, cut and formed to suit and may be attached to the head by any approved means such as by tacks 4 as shown, Around the lower portion of the body 2 is a series of eyelets 5 engaging hooks 6 in the base l, shown clearly in Fig. 4:. This forms a convenient means of attaching and detaching the said parts, although other attachments may be used.

Within the body 2 and carried normally by it, is a frame 7 of resilient wire stitched to it as at 8. The wire is bent to a size and shape to conform with the tail and back of the duck whose head and body is under consideration. At the sides of the base .l are thereof: The numeral 1 represents the base secured angle clips 9, having a hole through its vertical leg to receive the bent terminals 10 of the frame 7.

The interior of the head 2 has a large recess 11 formed therein, and in line with the recess a hole 12 is cut in the base 1. These holes are for the recept-ion of the distending or expanding means of the decoy, and as illustrated, the means consist of a rigid stick or member 13, adapted to be inserted through the hole 12 and into the recess 11 and raise the combined body and head unit to its limiting position as shown. The member 13 has a step 14 cut thereon at the point of said limiting position. Additional steps 15 may be cut for any inaccuracies that might exist in the different bodies that may be mounted on the base 1.

As each base carries its own internal niember 13, it is provided with securing means against separation by a cord and fastener 16. 17 is the customary cord and anchor provided for decoys.

0n the bottom of the base 1 and at the sides thereof are secured checks 18 to prevent the decoy from rolling and to keep it in an upright natural position, and are so positioned longitudinally to give the decoy the proper trim when in service.

In general, each combined head and body unit is Jformed and painted to resemble a particular duck, but all such units have the same size lower margin with similarspaced eyelets, and are adapted to engage the same base. Vith my invention, a convenient equipment 'for a hunter would be, about one dozen bases and three orfour dozen combined units.

In use, one selects the combined decoy unit he desires and pinches the free ends of the resilient frame thereof until the Vterminals snap into pivotal position in the angleclip holes. Then the hooks and eyes are engaged and finally the internal member 13 is positioned, the whole expanding or spreading into lifeslike formand resembling the chosen duck or other wild fowl to be imitated.

From the :foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understoodby. those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustra-tive and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is the following:

1. A decoy duck comprising a base, a collapsible body attached thereto, and a rigid and removable stick provided with a step to expand the body into life-like form.

2. A decoy, comprising a float-base and a combined head and collapsible-body unit, and rigid means having a series of stepsv for expanding the body, and the said unit adapted to be detachably supported on the said base, the latter provided with means for supporting diierent body units thereon.

A decoy comprising a solid4 base, a solid head, and a collapsible` fabric connecting the two, and an internall member, the said base having a hole therethrough and the said head having a recess therein, land the said member adapted to be inserted through the said holes and into `tliesaid recess and engage the base to distend.r the said fabric, the whole resembling a duck.

In testimony whereofI aiiix my signature.

kFRAN K E. STALLMAN. 

